Hey everyone! Sorry, long time between updates again! I've been without internet access for a little while. Here is the next chapter; I hope you like it, cuz now it's goin' get kind of exciting. Please enjoy, and please review! I really want to know what you guys think about it so far and where you might see it going. Thanks and have a great day.

Miss Elizabeth and Katya

P.S: Just as a reminder, Bold words with no quotation marks around them designate signed words.

Chapter 19: Relief, Rage, and Recognition

Virgil raced to the wall that hide the elevator to THUNDERBIRD 2's hanger and leaped in before any of the Tracys could wish him good luck. John, Gordon, and Alan ran almost as fast to their elevators and were about to move down to the hanger when Jeff jumped into his elevator at the last minute. His sons were momentarily stunned, but then accepted it. There was no way they could keep their father from going on this rescue!

Virgil was momentarily surprised when his father came into the cockpit, fastening the last Velcro slips on the sleeves. Virgil then realized that his father would sooner tell the world the Tracy Family was the Thunderbirds then not go on this rescue-the biggest rescue they had ever been apart of-the rescue of one of their own. Flicking switches, Virgil raced through pre-flight checks and warmed up its massive engines. THUNDERBIRD 2 lumbered down the tarmac to its takeoff platform. The Tracy men strapped in as the platform lifted to an almost fifteen degree angle.

"Base from THUNDERBIRD 2, do we have clearance Brains?"

"FAB Virgil. Bring him back to us."

"FAB!"

The men braced themselves as the engines shuddered into full life and sent a blast of fire and energy out. Soon the huge green machine was lifting off towards their long lost brother and son.

Lona and Scott struggled through the early morning hours to the large clearing that soon would house one of the great machines used by the great organization, International Rescue. Soon they were standing on the outskirts of the clearing, avidly watching the sky. After a moment, Lona got Scott's attention.

We should find a place to hide. It's better to be safe then sorry, and I learned long ago not to underestimate the Hood. Scott nodded, and they set off to find some cover.

Mullion moved his men into position. From their vantage points, one side of the clearing was covered. He knew his employer the Hood had the other side covered. When the prisoners attempted to board the craft, they would fall under the crossfire of two-dozen men. The Hood hoped to take them alive, but if that was not possible…oh, well. Mullion allowed himself an evil grin. The girl would never be free.

Scott heard the plane before he saw it. A true smile appeared on his face when he heard the familiar sound. Both he and Lona watched as the huge ship slowly landed and then began raising itself off the Pod. They saw the Pod door slowly open and settle itself against the ground with a metallic thud. Scott saw his middle brother, John walk onto the Pod door, followed by his father. He quickly grabbed Lona's hand, and they began running towards the ship and the freedom it represented.

Jeff watched as his son began running towards him and felt a twinge of sadness and anger as he saw how thin he looked and at his uniform hanging shredded around him. His gaze turned to the woman running beside him. From the distance, he could not see the scars, but he sure saw the skin shown off by the costume she wore. He figured rightly that she had been forced to wear the slave clothes, and another wave of anger for the man who had hurt these two young people filled him. Only for a moment.

The shot flew over Scott's head, followed by three or four more. Most of the bullets were ricocheting off the thick metal hull of THUNDERBIRD 2, but enough were getting by it to be of great concern. Lona pushed Scott ahead of her, wanting to make sure he would make it to safety. She saw the Hood raise his long-range rifle and aim straight at Scott's chest. Opening her mouth and letting out a silent scream, she pushed him out of the way.A sharp, burning sensation on her right side penatrated her awarenessfollowed by a feeling of numbness. As she fell, her last thought was she hoped Scott would get away safely.

Jeff saw the young woman push his son to the ground and heard the gunshot. He watched a blossom of red bloom from her side as she fell to the ground. He quickly yelled orders into his watch.

"Gordon, start up the defense systems. Start spraying the sleeping gas into the bushes. Alan, get the counteragent ready for two people. Virgil, get down here. We'll need your help." He then turned to his middle son.

"John, get the gas masks. We need to get out there as soon as possible."

Jeff, John, and soon Virgil stood in the open doorway of the Pod and watched as the clouds of sleeping gas poured out of the nozzle towards the waiting gunmen. After a couple of minutes, though they seemed like hours, the three men hurried towards the prone figures. Jeff and John grabbed Scott's arms and supporting his weight between the two of them, hurried him into the ship. Virgil ran to the girl and quickly categorized her injuries. He was shocked at the state of her skin, as there was hardly a section of it that was not scarred. He shook his head and grabbed his handkerchief from a side pocket. It would not be of much help, but it was better then nothing. He gently but firmly applied pressure against the free-flowing wound. Then, he gently gathered her up in his arms and ran as fast as he could into the ship.

As soon as he reached THUNDERBIRD 2's medical bay, he found his family waiting for the patient. Virgil quickly laid her down on the nearest cot and stepped back so his brothers could do their jobs. John quickly put a pressure bandage on the wound after checking it thoroughly. He too was shocked at the state of the young woman's skin. Great slashes, both old and new, crisscrossed most of her body. Great bruises and marks that appeared to be burns were likewise spread across her body. Still, she was alive. He looked up at his father who had not left his sleeping son's side and gave him a tired grin as well as good news.

"She should be alright, Father, at least from this gunshot wound. The bullet went right through, and it only tore the skin, though it did go pretty deep into that. There is no muscle damage that I can see though." Jeff nodded. While Alan administered the counteragent, he walked over to the small, prone figure of the girl who had saved his son's life. He saw John and Gordon patching up the worse of the open marks covering her body. And just before John slipped an oxygen mask on her, he saw her face. All four of his conscious sons quickly turned their heads to him as he let out a gasp of surprise. His hand shook a little as he reached up to move a strand of hair from the familiar, yet older, hard face. It couldn't be. She was dead and had been for a few years.

"Lona Danvers?"

Wow! I thought this chapter would never see the light! Now that I've finally got our two heros out of the Hood's evil clutches, I wonder what's going to happen next...?